“Weightlifting will stunt your growth!!!”

This is a phrase that used to be thrown around all the time. It stemmed from the theory that the heavy loads lifted by kids would stop them from growing. I’m sure part of the reason this theory came about is due to us, the weightlifters. The best weightlifters are usually vertically challenged; the smaller you are the less distance the bar needs to travel, after all. Perhaps some genius that thought he was putting two and two together was the first to assume that weightlifters are small because the weights they lifted stopped them from growing.

Fortunately, this is completely false. Many organisations, researchers and scientists have proven and stated that this is an incorrect statement. The NSCA even stated that previous research that found cartilage damage to a small percentage of the subjects was actually due to poor execution of the exercise, not the fact that they were doing resistance training.

This has been heavily researched and it’s not hard to find a decent paper that disproves the myth. In fact, in the world of strength and conditioning, they have established a model known as the Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) plan, which is based around training minors into future athletes.

The LTAD has been used with success by some, and disbelieved by others. However, further models have developed from the basics laid out by the LTAD plan. Certain specifics of the LTAD are “windows of opportunity.” It states when a child has greatest opportunities to develop in certain areas such as speed, strength and endurance, with the use of peak height velocity, also known as growth spurts. The LTAD is a long and complicated thing to talk about, but in a nutshell, it’s the journey of developing an athlete from a young age, a demonstration of how strength and conditioning professionals are now pushing to get kids doing more training at younger ages, including resistance training and weightlifting technique. Although a paper from the Journal of Sport Science outlines various flaws with the plan, it also states that the process of LTAD is beneficial as an outline for developing youths.

Weightlifting competitions in the UK for those under 13 are quite different than the competitions we all know and love. First of all, if you are under 11, there is no requirement to change your load in each lift. If you’re under 13, it must raise by 1kg after a successful attempt as with all ages above. However the scoring system is drastically different, and in a good way.

The points are decided as follows: For both under 11 and under 13s, ALL attempts are counted and added to the points total. The maximum technique points for a snatch are four. For the clean it is eight, and for the jerk it is eight. Overall, the max technique points are 72, which ensures that, in most cases, technical merit outweighs the total weight lifted.

Snatch

Get set position: 0 or 1 point
Pull to knee height: 0 or 1 point
Full extension; 0 or 1
Squat under: 0 or 1 point

The points are then doubled.

Clean

Get set: 0 or 1
Pull to knees: 0 or 1
Full extension: 0 or 1
Drop and receive: 0 or 1.
The points are then doubled.

Jerk
Start position: 0 or 1
Dip and Drive: 0 or 1
Receive in split: 0 or 1
Recovery: 0 or 1

The points are then doubled.

Power snatch gets only 1 point. Same for the power clean. 
Clean and jerk are assessed individually. An incomplete lift, e.g. a clean pull to knee height, scores 0. Power jerk scores only 1. Any lift failed by the referee scores 0.

So as you can see, the emphasis is not on how much weight can be lifted, but on how proficient the technique is. This is good news, as now this allows a lot of time to teach a complex movement to a little person, so when they become a big person, technique will certainly not be an issue.

I personally think this is a great format. It doesn’t encourage anyone to get really heavy loads thrown about with young kids, but it does encourage good technique to be utilized.

Now, I know some of you will still be thinking that the explosive element of weightlifting surely has the potential for danger. If we break weightlifting down (this could cause an argument alone, so just humor me) it will consist of a fast, full extension of the legs, creating a jump-like pattern, catching the barbell overhead or on the shoulders in a squat position and standing up, then potentially doing another jump-like movement and catching the barbell in a split stance and recovering.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I see lots of kids jumping around, onto things, off of things, and running around at 100mph all the time… all of which involves a very fast triple extension of the lower limbs, much like weightlifting. Not only this, but a lot of kids are out on bikes, BMXs, skateboards, and scooters, attempting to show off all the latest stunts. This involves a great deal of coordination, and usually involves a ballistic/explosive movement as well. For example, a study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics looked into the forces produced and absorbed during the Ollie in skateboarding. The results show similar landing forces as sports such as volleyball blocks and gymnastics dismounts from high apparatus. So in my opinion, the movement of the lifts will only be as dangerous as these other activities, if not less. As expected, a professional should deliver instruction, therefore reducing the risk even more.

I personally think that weightlifting should be taught in school. The derivative movements that could be prioritized to the full lifts, such as the squats, presses and deadlifts, are highly functional movements. And in the PlayStation era that we currently live in, functional movement is essential! The really positive side to this is more participation within the sport. This goes hand in hand with the increased requirement of competitions, and the likeliness of finding the next potential weightlifting talents.

If I could ask for one development in the field of weightlifting, bringing weightlifting into schools would probably be the top, or near the top of the list. Hopefully, in a few years time, this will be possible, and we will start to see the sport of weightlifting receive the acknowledgement it deserves.


References

Faigenbaum, A. Kraemer, W. Blimkie, C. Jefferies, I. Micheli, L. Nitka, M. Rowland, T. (2009) Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper From The National Strength And Conditioning Association, The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23 (supplement 5), pp.60-79

Ford, P. Croix, M. Lloyd, R. Meyers, R. Moosavi, M. Oliver, J. Till, K. Williams, C. (2011) The Long-Term Athlete Development model: Physiological evidence and application, Journal of Sport Sciences, 29 (4), pp.389-402

Frederick, E. Determan, J. Whittlesey, S. Hamill, J. (2006) Biomechanics of Skateboarding: Kinetics of the Ollie, Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 22, pp.33-40